me-ooow.
In recent social media trends, here’s the latest to hit the Internet: after sex selfies. Yep, it’s as awkward as it sounds. Couples are taking to Instagram by posting pictures of themselves together right after doing the deed and then uploading their images to share (and brag?) to the world using the hashtag #AfterSex.
In today’s voyeuristic society, the lines between private and public life are constantly blurred, so despite the fact that this new online trend is rather shocking, at the same time it should come as no surprise. With everything from reality shows to celebrity sex tapes, people seem to have this incessant desire to share their personal lives with people they don’t know. But what are they trying to prove exactly?
Mind you, the majority of these images feature couples lying next to each other in bed smiling at the camera – the pictures aren’t overly pornographic, but the meaning behind them is. It’s basically a digital form of high-fiving, along with Facebook status updates, tweets and FourSquare check-ins. The first documented post-sex selfie was uploaded to Instagram on September 8, 2013, although the trend didn’t take off until March of 2014. VICE Magazine published several interviews in their “People Who Just Had Sex” series, which featured casual after sex conversations with random people.
In an interview with DailyMail, Dr. Chris Chesher from the University of Sydney said, “”What happens when new cultural platforms come along, is the norms with how they should be used don’t exist until people start using them…Platforms like Facebook have been around for several years, so expectations of how it should be used have been gradually established.”
We live in a time where people are constantly pushing boundaries, continually looking for new ways to be extreme and provide shock value, whether they’re looking for a new rush or simply seeking validation from the outside. In addition to after sex selfies, there are no makeup selfies, and other absurd versions of the selfie – whatever someone can dream up and create a hashtag for, it’s been done or is going to be done.
My thoughts? This is just another fleeting trend that will enjoy its fifteen minutes of fame before it is replaced by another one. While it may seem harmless, you have to think: do you really want this type of photo to be floating around in cyber space with your face attached to it? While it may seem fun at the moment, will it be as fun twenty years down the road when you’re married and have children? Or when you’re one of the many millenials still job-less?
This may be one of those teenage regrets that could come back to haunt you, so I would advise skipping this trend and moving on to the next one. #NoThanks.
